Before starting my job in June, I had a few weeks to travel and enjoy the summer. The week prior to Memorial Day weekend, I traveled to Boston, Massachusetts and then Acadia National Park in Bar Harbor, Maine, for the annual German family reunion on my mom’s side. All of my mother’s siblings and family still live in Germany, and each summer a different sibling hosts the reunion. This year it was my mother’s turn and wanting to show her siblings a new region of the United States, she picked Maine. I had never traveled to Maine before and I was blown away! Acadia National Park had breathtaking scenery and hiking trails. A tip for anyone interested in visiting Acadia, is to visit before or after peak season. The park receives over two million visitors every year, so make sure to pick a date where you will miss the big crowds!
Bar Harbor, Maine
This past summer I worked for the St. Louis Children’s Hospital at a sports camp for children with cerebral palsy, called Camp Independence. I had been a volunteer at Camp Independence since December 2011, and took a position this summer as a physical activity technician. The camp is run by pediatric physical therapists and its programs are designed to increase children’s activity level, aerobic fitness, strength, balance, and flexibility. Any child diagnosed with cerebral palsy between the ages of 7-21 years old, functioning at a first-grade level or higher and able to follow directions can attend.
I assisted the physical therapists with therapeutic tasks and aided with organization of the camp. Daily activities included soccer, baseball, basketball, tennis, yoga, adaptive cycling, swimming, and more. Swimming was by far the most popular activity and we went every afternoon, rain or shine! My job this summer allowed me to interact and learn from physical therapists. It was a great experience and taught me more about the profession that I aspire to go into!
-Selina
